David Jones Preaches The Gospel

In our last post, we saw David Jones preaching amongst the natives in the Ohio River country.  Today we will pick up the story with a look at Jones’ exposition of the gospel to those who had never heard it before.

Tuesday  July 14 [1772], in company with messrs. [George Rogers] Clark, Higgins and my interpreter [David Owens], set out for Fort Pitt; and as it was sometime before the Indians would be at Fort Pitt, took another tour through the desarts [deserts] to Ohio. Preached on the Lord's day in a cabbin near to a creek called Weeling [Wheeling], to about 15 auditors. In the afternoon having sent word, a few Indians met me, one of which was Frank Stephens.  Having all set down on deerskins presented to us for that purpose by the Indians, addressed them on these subjects, viz.  I. The state in which God created man. 2. His fall. 3. The promise of a Saviour; his coming and sufferings. 4. The work of God in renewing our souls to qualify us for heaven, and enabling us to believe on the Saviour. "On this occasion was very sensible of the great difficulties of speaking on such important subjects to these poor heathens, who were strangers even to the historical accounts thereof.   After due deliberation spoke to this effect, viz. "You see, my brothers, that man is now very bad; he does many bad things; he has a wicked and bad heart: but when God made him at first he was all good, all love. Then he loved God, and loved one another, God said to him, if you will only obey me, you shall always live in a happy state; but if you disobey, you shall surely die, and be miserable. But afterwards man thought, may be, he might be happy and not die, even if he disobeyed God.  Then he did that which God told him he should not do. But oh! immediately he lost all his good, and became very bad, having no love to God,  nor to one another. In this state God looked on him and said, ah! you have disobeyed, and would not believe me: you must now die, and you deserve to suffer for-ever: yet I have compassion on you, though you do not deserve it, and will send you a Redeemer. After a long time the Redeemer came, and so great was his love for us, that he himself in our stead endured all the punishment due to our transgressions, in order to make peace between God and us. Now God saith that all that believe on this Saviour shall be happy for-ever. And to prepare us for that happiness, God by his great power changes the temper of the hearts of all that believe: then they love God and one another.  God takes delight in them, and when they die he takes them up into heaven to be forever with himself."—Some white people besides my own company were present: it was observable, that some of them were more affected than when they had been more immediately addressed. By what appeared expectations were raised; but these Indians had no further opportunities, being in time of the second visit down Ohio with my interpreter.

Monday July 20, set out for Fort Pitt; had a small path called Catfish's Road, which led us through the country between Ohio and Monongehela; had the pleasure of seeing a large extent of good land, but few inhabitants; it is somewhat uneven, but most part habitable.— Came to Fort Pitt on Wednesday July 22; remained about six days; had an opportunity of conversing with several principal Indians of different nations: they all spoke very agreeably, and seemed pleased with my intentions of instructing them. It is possible that these men were honest; but am now so well acquainted with Indian deceit as to know, that when they are among us, to pretend to love what will best recommend them, is their common practice. Being informed that it was some time before any further intelligence could be had respecting my visit: therefore wrote another letter to the Delaware king and chiefs of the nation, informing them, that I had been long from home; could stay no longer at present; but they might expect me out again in the fall. This was interpreted to one of the chiefs, and with it a belt of wampum delivered with a speech. Was informed all were delivered carefully but saw not the person in my second visit. ¹

Lord willing we will take up Jones’ story again in our next post.

Christ, not man, is King!

Dale

1)   David Jones, A Journal of Two Visits Made to Some Nations of Indians on the West Side of the River Ohio in the Years 1772 and 1773 (Burlington, NJ: Isaac Collins, 1774), p. 19-21.